Polygamy is the act of having more than one spouse. Deviance is any behavior, belief or condition that violates significant social norms in the society or group in which it occurs (Kendall). It is most commonly practiced amongst Mormons in Utah, although it can happen elsewhere. There are different variations of the kinds of polygamist in America such as a family that does not conceal their status as a polygamist, compared to more secretive families who prefer more privacy. Although it is still currently practiced in America it is illegal and socially unacceptable. In 1890 the Edmunds-Tucker act of 1887 denied people living in polygamous arrangements their civil rights, and fines an imprisonment was imposed (Haynes). The social norms of the United States go against polygamy because it is a generally monogamous country. Norms are established rules of behavior or standards of conduct (Kendall). Recent studies have shown that although American citizens still find polygamy …show more content…
In Africa, Middle East, and Asia, polygamy still succeeds. Many third world countries continued the practice of plural marriages (Phelps). Polygamy is mainly accepted through certain religious practices. Although there are not any specific “types” of polygamy there are different traits between the variations of Polygamy. Polyandry is another type of polygamy although not as common. Polyandry is the concurrent marriage on one woman with two or more men (Kendall). One variation of Polygamy would be the more open and laid-back type, where you are not being forced into it. An example of this would be “Sister Wives” where there are four women married to one man because they were willing to and wanted it that way. They were open enough to have a TV show about their polygamous lifestyle to show the world a different perception unlike what is mostly portrayed in the